title: Variability of patient safety culture in Belgian acute hospitals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to measure differences in safety culture perceptions within Belgian acute hospitals and to examine variability based on language, work area, staff position, and work experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture was distributed to hospitals participating in the national quality and safety program (2007-2009). Hospitals were invited to participate in a comparative study. Data of 47,136 respondents from 89 acute hospitals were used for quantitative analysis. Percentages of positive response were calculated on 12 dimensions. Generalized estimating equations models were fitted to explore differences in safety culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Handoffs and transitions, staffing, and management support for patient safety were considered as major problem areas. Dutch-speaking hospitals had higher odds of positive perceptions for most dimensions in comparison with French-speaking hospitals. Safety culture scores were more positive for respondents working in pediatrics, psychiatry, and rehabilitation compared with the emergency department, operating theater, and multiple hospital units. We found an important gap in safety culture perceptions between leaders and assistants within disciplines. Administration and middle management had lower perceptions toward patient safety. Respondents working less than 1 year in the current hospital had more positive safety culture perceptions in comparison with all other respondents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Large comparative databases provide the opportunity to identify distinct high and low scoring groups. In our study, language, work area, and profession were identified as important safety culture predictors. Years of experience in the hospital had only a small effect on safety culture perceptions.
authors.affiliation: From the *Hasselt University, Faculty of Medicine, Patient Safety Group, Diepenbeek; †Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk; ‡Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; §Institute of Infection and Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; and ∥ICURO, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annemie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vlayen
authors.forename: Ward
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schrooten
authors.forename: Welcome
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wami
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.forename: Leandro Garcia
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Barrado
authors.forename: Neree
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Claes
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hellings
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001530:Belgium; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards; D061214:Patient Safety; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*